The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27
What Came Of an Advertisement
BY Z. j. HARDIN.

BY E. j. HARDIN.
Written for THE CONSTITUTIONS.
sTll Hymen brought his love se!ichted hour
There dwelt no joy IN Eden's rosy bower
Inc world was sad, the garden was avid
And man, the hermit. sighed till woman smiled
campbell.
In the early part OF the summer. 1sS-. I
was advised by my physician to quit the city
III which resided and find lodgings in the
country, where pure fresh air, morning and
evening walks in the shady groves, moonlight
drives over smooth roads, picnics on the banks
OF limpid streams or an evening meals meath
outrageous boughs by starlight might inyig-
crate my overtired brain and give new life 10
my tagging constitution. l do MT intend to
say that the good old doctor recommended all
Of the above programme, but as he expressed
II III his laconic way, country airAand country
diet is the life Of invalids and You must begin
period of rustication IN short order .,
j had spent the twenty five years of my life
in gay and fashionable city. Nothing ap-
peared tanner TO me than descriptions OF the
country, for through descriptions alone / had
received what impressions | had OF natures
loveliest hGndiwork. To my profession
OF iournalist-1 had been assiduous since the
brief rest from the close of a college course
few years previous and added TO the duties a
society young man is compelled to give to his
young friends was the direct cause which ne
cessitated my consulting the old family physi-
clan ON that beautiful morning in May. / say
had rather tame opinion of the country
This was true and fain would L have re-
manned at home choosing rather to zen
dure the ills that be-" had not the
intercession of my mother gotten the better of
my preferences and set me 10 arranging at
once for an early departure. 1t is not often
you can find young man reared amongst the
gaieties of city life and always participating in
the same, give them all mp without q inurnur
Mother did I, for with all my boosted Iesigna-
ton TO fate, when the time arrived for rae' to
turn MY back upon home, for an indefinite
period, with all its sweet and dear associations
Lfelt
CHOW sweet It's to sit neatha fond iathers smile,
And the cares OF q mother TO s5oth begtiiie.
Let Others delight mid new pleasures to roam,
but give me- oh, give me the pleasures of home.
The decree had gone forth, and after a short
delay my name was registered at Cottonyille
pretcntions' little crossroads village, with
two Churches, parsonage, blacksmith shop,
three stores, and the boardingliouse, the pride
OF all the Cottonvilians, on account of the coat
of white paint and green blinds, which could
be seen for several miles around, and which
lent charm to the otherwise nnpreposessing
surroundings. Those who knew, or thought
they did, said Cottonyille was the place. The
air was good, the wafer, accordingto analysis,
was Just the thing, and board~-a very nm
healthy article OF digestion at many summer
resorts-could be obtained at nominal figures.
All O-s found true, after q Few days trial.
But dull thought would be consumed with
ennui. A few other boarders lounged
around the place and among them was young
attorney from Georgia, Robert Il. Moore, who
had recently graduated at the university of
his state with considerable honor In him |
found congeniality of spirit, and we grew
rapidly to regard each other as friends. He
was young man of rare intellectual faculties
and pleasing address, with broad forehead,
arched brow andl laughing eyes that often
sparklcd with merrment as he would relate
experiences of college life. Between US there
was lasting attachment formed that was in
after years destined to wax stronger and
warmer. Time wore on and after awhile coun-
try sports, which fascinated at first began to
lose their charms for me. ! longed again
to return home and contrast the graceful fig
ures and beautiful faces Of our city bellies with
their rosy checked country cousins. MY health
was rapidly coming back to body and mind
the tingling blood mounting in rose bud hue to
cheek and brow and bounding with electric
force throughout the body, which but for the
mental inaction begotten of the place would
have given mo unspeakable joy. The picnics
had lost their enchantment, the evening walks
their pleasure and tho moonlight tetc-a-tetes
their novelty. 10 return home was impossible
for that terrible scourge, yellow fever, had
come like sleuth-hound in the night and set
tied over the city. The inhabitants Of my old
home had been scattered like roses in bloom.'
and there was no other alternative but to be
resigned TO the society of my rural friends.
81 cannot stand it any longer" said Moore
to me one morning, Us we fingered OH the vine
clad portico reading and discussing the situa-
ton. ''This dizziness is killing me Every
thing is as quiet and still as though q storm
had just blown over. Suppose, said he, rising
from his scat and suddenly facing me, 1--WE
have some genuine fun and few love scraISes
to boot, If need be, for the next few weeks"
was quite willing for anything TO drive dull
care away, and being of romantic turn Of
mind, was ready to lend a hand to any game
which the young colonel could devise. But
how was it to be inapgurated?
Certainly" replied. you do not mean
to pay your respects and loye-naking TO the
ugly young girls, cross eyed old girls, ignorant
young maidens and knowing old maidcns in
this unprepossessing place."
His answer was a request TO wait few days
and then | would see for myself. The week
wore heavily on. On morning Bob onteredmy
room pointing triumphantly to an advertise
mcnt in the Daily Broadax. 1t read as fol-
lows:
Personal.
TWO YOUNG GENTLEMEN, RICH, HANDSOME
Il. and accomplished, desire young lady CORE
spondents. None need apply except those Of nc
knowlcdged beauty, not over twenty years Of age,
and in all cases photos must be exchanged. address
"BrOhers," lock toX II, CottOnyiile.
"What do you think OF that 2" he said, after
/ had perused the advertisement.
Conscience was at y low ebb when you
wrote it, for / am neither rich, handsome or
intelligent"
ooh, well, IT is not necessary 10 conflne ones
self strictly TO facts-and III admit did not
when You address yourself to the modern young
lady You know they have dispensed with
the idea Of love and 20 in for finance. We
have something more 10 say thans 'Barkis is
willin' to these Candy butterhys; we must
have tempting bait TO display for them" After
a short pause he added, iii that don't bring
them down with their sweetest smiles and
words, III give up my faith IN printers ink"
A few days after the advertisement made Its
first appearance in the BroadaX, the servant
brought up from the little three by four post
Office huge pack Of letters and with broad
grin deposited most Of them on my table.
10 have The little ruse properly understood
Moore aud agreed that we should equally d.
vide the letters before they were opened and
then reply TO as many as pleased our fancy.
/ had never heard Of my new friend before
the meeting at CottOnyille IIe was there for
"A summer vacation with an old aunt who kept
the before mentioned boarding l@0use. Strange
il seems 70 me now That / should never have
made no inquiry directly rs % his family
and home, but 1t seemed to be n
matter about which neither Of as felt specially
interested. Beside from nay having found out
that he was an attorney at aw, and few
other minor points, nothing Of his past life or
its connections was known TO me.
IL was lis custom 10 meet mo in my own
room after the mail was in and there we
yvOuld often aft reading and chatting nypr tha